Barack Obama apparently deftly delivered another bullet to his foot with his recent comments about his “white grandmother.” He called her a “typical white person” and the news commentators on radio and TV are lovin’ it! The tone of their comments boil down to this: ‘How dare he, a black man running for president, use racial stereotypes when racial stereotypes have done so much to hurt civil rights.’

Well take it from a typical white person, stereotypes or not, I can certainly understand his grandmother’s fear of walking past certain people (be they white, black, Hispanic or other) on any street. WHY? Simply because some of them are very different and different is, to many of us typical white people, not good — in fact it’s scary sometimes. I used to feel the same way.

To be clear here, I’m not talking about skin color (actually skin color has almost nothing to do with “racial” attitudes) and I’m not talking about people who I have previously met, I’m talking about that stranger who’s mannerism, dress and body language — in general terms, the way he or she presents his/her self — is so different from my own that it send out a danger signal. Be honest, you’ve all seen them! They are the punks who walk down the street talking loud and giving everyone they see “the look” that says ‘hey, you better not be lookin’ at me or I’ll jump your a**; they are the bleary-eyed drunks and druggies who look like they are ready to do anything for another drink or ‘fix’; they are almost any young people who are travel in “packs”, acting like they are the kings and queens of the sidewalk and YOU are on THEIR sidewalk.’

Am I a racist for thinking this or seeing people that way? Hell no! I’m just a typical white person who has been raised to behave a certain way and to expect people to behave a certain, non-threatening way. I’m sure that neither Barack’s white grandmother or I are the least bit intimidated by 95+% of the people we see on the street no matter what color they are. Perhaps if Barack’s white grandmother spent more time in urban ghettos she would become accustomed to all the different manners of dress and behavior — perhaps if I spent more time there I would also be more comfortable with those who seem to go out of their way to look and act “different.”

Over time I’ve become immune to most of those differences by spending time in what are usually called “bad” neighborhoods; my work takes me there so it was a forced immunity — not something either Barack’s Grandmother or I would have a reason to do voluntarily.

2 users commented in " A “Typical White Person’s” Perspective "

Obama is our Savior! Obama and Reverd Wright are RIGHT! God D*** america. Obama will apologize to our Muslim brothers for an arrogant america. Let us choose now to rally around Barak and Michelle and make them proud. No more so called “elections” which your “typical white person” votes for clinton. We know from Obama what these typical white people are – they are all racists!

ken said,

in March 22nd, 2008 at 6:19 pm

Am I a racist for thinking this or seeing people that way? Hell no! I’m just a typical white person…

You say that as if those two things are contradictory.

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